Liquid separating ladle



June 11, 1957 R. H. BAIR 2,795,119

LIQUID SEPARATING LADLE Filed April 3 1956 S 3 INVENTOR RICHARD H. BAIR W HM ATTORNEY United States Patent LIQUID SEPARATING LADLE Richard H. Bair, Camp Hill, Pa., assignor of one-half to Louis Goldstein and William Goldstein, Harrisburg, Pa.

Application April 3, 1956, Serial No. 575,829

7 Claims. (Cl. 65-28) This invention relates to ladles and more particularly to lades provided with build-in liquid-separating features.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a ladle which will serve the usual purpose in liquid handling as well as serving the dual purpose of separating fluids of different densities.

One of many possible uses of the ladle embodying this invention may be found in the kitchen arts where it is desirable to remove greasy fluids from the surface of soup Figure 1 is a top plan view of the ladle of this inven-- tion;

Figure 2 is a partial view in section, taken along the line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a partially sectioned view in side elevation of the invention; and

Figure 4 is a partially sectioned plan view of a portion of a ladle embodying a modified form of the invention.

Referring more particularly to Figures 1 to 3 inclusive, the ladle is illustrated as having a cup 1 formed with a recess 2 in a thickened rear portion 3 to receive a handle 4 in a press fit relationship. The cup 1 is preferably molded or cast from an aluminum alloy, but the material used is not critical and other metals, plastics, or Wood could be effectively utilized.

The cup 1 has an encircling integral upstanding side wall 5 and a bottom wall 6 integral with the side wall. The bottom wall 6, as may be best noted in Figure 3 is inclined upwardly from the front of the cup at 7 toward the rear portion 3. The wall 6 is also inclined upwardly from the side walls 5 for a brief distance toward the center of the cup 1 as may be noted best in Figure l.

The bottom edge 8 of side wall 5 extends below the bottom wall 6 at all points to form an inverted receptacle or trap with the side wall.

Located immediately adjacent, and integral with the rear portion 3, is a vertical upstanding inlet pipe 9 provided with a circular opening or port 10 at its apex. This inlet pipe 9 may be located at other points in cup 1 of the ladle, such as the center or to one side, with proper redesign of the bottom well, but for the dual purpose of ladling and separating, the illustrated location is preferred. The inlet pipe 9 from its inlet juncture with the bottom wall is of lesser height than the upstanding side wall 5 of the cup 1 as will be obvious from the drawmgs.

It should also be noted that the cup 1 is of a generally triangular formation, and it likewise follows that the 2,795,119 Patented June 11, 1957 bottom wall 6 is similarly shaped. This particular shape is advantageous in the liquid separating feature of the ladle.

In operation, the ladle may be used in the ordinary manner to dispense fluids from a container. If it is desirable to separate an upper liquid from a lower liquid in a container, then itis merely necessary to press the bot tom Wall 6 of cup 1 firmly downwardly on the surface of the liquid. With the aid of the inwardly and rearwardly inclined bottom wall 6 and the triangular formation thereof, surface liquids trapped thereunder by the wall and the bottom edge of the side wall, will be forced rearwardly of the cup into the inlet pipe 9. Upon continued pressure being applied to the cup 1, the liquid in inlet pipe 9 rises and discharges into the upper portion of cup 1. The operator of the ladle is visually apprised of the condition of the liquid trapped beneath the cup, to the extent of knowing when the upper liquid has been separated, the instant that the second fluid of a dilferent density appears to the opening 10 in well 9.

As a practical example three or four quick applications of the scoop against the surface of freshly made soup in a relative large kettle will separate susbtantially all of the undesirable greasy fluids. As soon as clear soup appears at the opening 10 of inlet pipe 9, the operation is ceased.

It is desirable to have the opening 10 of such a size as to permit ready flow of the fluid being separated without losing the benefits of the surface tension created by a relatively restricted opening to achieve a more precise separation between two liquids.

The modified form of the invention illustrated in Figure 5 discloses a fluted opening 11. This construction has the advantage over the circular opening 10 of maintaining a desirable restricted interior diameter to retain surface tension benefits while permitting a greater flow. For example, in separating oil from the surface of water, under a given amount of pressure, the oil will flow upwardly through inlet pipe 9 and opening 11 into the cup 1. With the same continued amount of pressure being applied, when the first water reaches the opening 11 after all the oil has passed through, a bubble will form before discharging into the cup. This is due to the different surface tension characteristics of fluids with different densities. As soon as the bubble appears, pressure on cup 1 is released and substantially no water will discharge into the upper portion of the cup. It is realized that other non-circular openings or openings with inward projections may function equally as well as the fluted opening 11 shown in Figure 4.

Thus it is seen that this invention provides a novel ladle construction capable of performing a dual function.

I claim:

1. A separating ladle comprising a cup and an elongated handle secured to said cup, said cup being provided with a bottom wall and an upstanding side wall integral with and extending around the periphery of the bottom wall, and an inlet pipe with an exit port at its apex integral with the bottom wall and extending upwardly in said cup to a height less than the height of the cup side wall, said bottom wall being inclined from its connection with the cup side wall upwardly toward the bottom of said pipe.

2. A separating ladle comprising a cup with an integral side wall, an elongated handle secured to the cup, a bottom wall for the cup, said bottom wall being joined at the peripheral edge thereof to the side wall above the bottom edge of the side wall, and an inlet pipe integral with said bottom wall and extending upwardly therefrom to a height less than the height of the cup side wall, said bottom wall being inclined from the connection with the side wall upwardly toward the bottom of said pipe.

3. In a separating ladle, a cup having a side wall of a generally triangular horizontal cross section and a bot- 1 tom wall for the cup, said bottom wall being joined at the peripheral edge thereof to the cup ,side wall above the bottom edge of the cup side wall, and an inlet pipe integral with said bottom wall and extending upwardly therefrom to a height less than the height of the cup side wall, said bottom wall being inclined from its "connection with the cup side wall upwardly towards the bottom of said pipe.

4. In a separating ladle, a cup with an integral side wall of a generally triangular formation, a bottom wall for the cup, said bottom wall being joined at the peripheral edge thereof to the side wall above the bottom edge of the side wall, and an inlet pipe integral with the bottom wall and extending upwardly therefrom to a height less than the height of the side wall and being positioned in the cup adjacent a corner portion formed ,by said cup side wall, said pipe being formed with a fluted exit opening at the upper end thereof, and said bottom wall being inclined from the connection with the cup side wall upwardly towards the bottom of said pipe.

5. In a separating ladle, a cup with a side wall, at bottom wall for the cup, said bottom wall being joined at the peripheral edge thereof to the side wall above the bottom edge of the side wall, and an inlet pipe integral with the bottom wall and extending upwardly therefrom to a height less than the height of the side wall, said pipe being provided with an exit opening at the apex thereof having inwardly directed projections of a fluted nature, and saidbottom wall being inclined from its connection with the cup side wall upwardly towards the, bottom of said pipe.

6. A separating ladle comprising a long handle and an attached cup with a side wall, a bottom wall integral with the cup side wall, and an inlet pipe integral with the bottom wall and extending upwardly therefrom to a height less than the height of the cup side wall, said pipe being provided with an exit opening at the upper end thereof, having inwardly directed projections of a fluted nature, and said bottom wall being inclined from the connection with the cup sidewall upwardly towards the bottom of said pipe.

7. A separating ladle comprising a cup with an elongated handle secured thereto, said cup being provided with a bottom wall and an upstanding side wall joined to the bottom wall along the periphery thereof, and an inlet pipe integral with the bottom wall and extending upwardly therefrom to a height less than the height of the cup side wall, said pipe being provided with an exit port at the upper end thereof, the area of said port being substantially less than the cross-sectional area of said inlet pipe.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 167,580 McFarland Aug. 26, 1952 262,065 Lincoln Aug. 1, 1882 297,854 Sample Apr. 29, 1884 433,231 Brewington July 29, 1890 727,781 Galer May 12, 1903 858,291 Irby June 25, 1907 1,142,041 Hubbell June 8, 1915 1,469,221 Kristofek Oct. 2, 1923 2,075,664 Scheemaeker Mar. 30, 1937 2,082,845 Osborne June 8, 1937 2,287,156 White June 23, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS- 81,421 Switzerland Nov. 17, 1919 

